Ashura

We knew that it would be an important time for our friends when we got back and we were ready!

The day after we got home the first 10 days of mourning started. Our friends call these first 10 days "Ashura." (which means 10 in Arabic.) They mourn the martyrdom of their prophet Mohammed's grandson, Hussein, in the battle of Karbala. You can read more about it here.

It's really obvious in our village that it's Ashura when they raise the black banners. Many houses put banners up along with black flags.

In addition to flying black flags, everyone wears black. So we dressed up in our black and sat with our friends. We didn't cry with them, but we sat with them. We love to mingle with the people, but our hearts hurt for them in their mourning.

People LOVED to see us dressed like they are. They love having us with them! Eating dinner with them, drinking hot milk with honey, walking with them, and sitting with them in their homes. Everyone in the village is out...it's such a great opportunity to be with them.

We were glad to have other American friends to go out with!

Here are three cute girls playing together on some mats on the floor.

Faith got a new black dress before we left America. It's so pretty on her! I mostly got blurry pictures of her in it because she loves to spin!

It's a spinny dress!

Here's a clearer picture of her in it another day.

This is a picture that an Arab friend took of me in the hussainia, the place where they gather to commemorate the events that happened in the Battle of Karbala.

Throughout the village there are these booths set up called a "mudheef" where they have tea and other things to drink or snacks to eat.

Here's another one

Here's the tea pots ready to be warmed on hot coals.

Here's another one...these boys were willing to pose for my picture!

Here's another hussainia in our village.

Here's a picture of me and my American friend having dinner with the Arabs one evening.

Another day we watched the men march through the streets. A couple of the kids were sick so we kept them inside the car.

These guys were taking the flags to get ready for the march.

Here's some more black flags in the village.

Here's a few pictures of the march.

This is where a "mutheef" for the ladies is at. It's sort of tucked in between some houses, not out in the open like the men's mutheef.

The last couple of days Faith got sick. She ended up with Scarlett Fever. Thankfully we got her to the doctor and she started taking medication. She's slowly getting better!

On Friday night there was a reenactment of the battle. Tim stayed home with the kids and I went to watch and take pictures.

It was SO INTERESTING! The events of this battle are so sad for our friends since they hold Hussein in such high regard. Watching it with my friends from the village was sad...they cried together at certain parts.

The guys in the red are the bad guys and the ones in green are Hussein, his friends, and his sons.